The present invention relates to a monitoring system for detecting the unauthorized movement of an article out of a predetermined area or zone of the type to be maintained under surveillance, and more particularly to a monitor actuating assembly and reusable fastener device therefor of the type for selective attachment and/or removal in respect to a pin element to capture an article such as a garment fabric or the like material, and for non-destructively releasing the same from the pin element only upon use of a special tool.
Conventionally, in such monitoring systems, a fastening device is secured to an identification tag with the assembly, in turn, being temporarily secured to articles prior to the authorized handling and merchandising of such articles, at which time the indentification tag and fastening device can be removed from the article. Hence, such monitoring systems are highly useful for purposes of anti-theft detection in department stores, or the like, where the identification tag must be removed from the article purchased during the check-out process, for example. For instance, if a purchaser attempts to surreptitiously remove the article from the store without actually purchasing the same, the identification tag which remains attached to the article contains monitor actuating means, such as electric circuitry, which may trigger an alarm system at an exit point or points in the store to prevent any potential theft.
Accordingly, it has been known to use various alarms and alarm activating devices attached to such articles to signal the unauthorized removal, as aforesaid. In general, such prior systems have generally included an activating device, such as a magnet, miniature circuit, radio transmitter, or the like, which was releasably attached to the article such that a monitoring device would sound an alarm and/or take a photograph if the activating device is sensed at the monitoring location. In practice, the activating devices should be easily attached to the articles, easily removed by authorized personnel having the proper equipment and very difficult to remove without the proper equipment, especially for the novice shoplifter who is responsible for many thefts. Moreover, the activating devices should be reusable and nondestructive to the articles to which they are attached.
Heretofore, various arrangements have been used to attach such activating devices to articles to be monitored. Heat-releasable devices of both the melted member type and the bi-metallic lever type have been employed. Such heat-releasable devices have not been entirely satisfactory as they have not always been reusable and are oftentimes relatively expensive to manufacture and/or install. In addition, devices using special keys have been employed but have been found to be relatively expensive and are not generally effective against unauthorized personnel familiar with such key-type systems. More recently, various types of attachable clips have been employed which are generally satisfactory for many applications. However, these devices have involved the use of fasteners which are integral with the monitor actuating mechanism and/or include many components which require replacement of the monitor actuating device in the event of damage and/or loss of a portion of the device. Further, such prior clip devices have generally required multi-part constructions utilizing intricate ball and/or cam components which are oftentimes expensive to produce and/or maintain, particularly after harsh and/or repeated usage therof.
Several of these anti-pilferage or anti-shoplifting systems are described in some detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,534, 3,914,829, 3,932,918, 3,942,829, 3,995,900, and 4,000,543.